13 Day South African Explorer

Project Description

Tour Description

Take a trip trough South Africa – A 13 Day tour from Johannesburg to Cape Town with the most important sights of South Africa which have to be seen when you visit our country. Enjoy game viewing in five different areas, stay at three private lodges and see Africa’s “Big Five”. Spot unique wildlife at a World Heritage Site, interact with ostriches, go on an ocean safari, enjoy a sunset oyster cruise on the Knysna estuary and walk through the Tsitsikamma Forest.

Itinerary

The Explorer is just what it sounds. Explore every corner of this incredible country, starting in Johannesburg. The economic centre of the country and its beating heart. Your transfer from O.R. Tambo International Airport is included in this package.

Today you will embark on a guided afternoon city tour of Johannesburg (included in the package, but excludes lunch). Highlights of this half day tour include:

Constitution Hill, home of South Africa’s architectural marvel, the Constitutional Court and site of Johannesburg’s Old Fort Prison (closed Sundays).

We’ll meander through the up-market suburb of Melville with its vibey shops and trendy restaurants, and stop at Newtown, home of the Johannesburg Market Theatre.

We also stop at Museum Africa, Johannesburg’s premier cultural history museum; reminiscent of a 1950’s shebeen or pub, and its here you’ll really sense the soul of the inner city.

Leaving the city behind us we head east, via Dullstroom, to Mother Nature’s playground, the beautiful and inspiring, Mpumalanga Province.
Stop for lunch (own account) en-route and arrive at Makakali Lodge.

Let the bushveld enchant you on a guided open vehicle game drive, peruse the “Big Five” and other distinctive species like the giraffe, zebra and the endangered cheetah.
Return to the lodge and savour the luxurious yet rustic settings with pre-dinner drinks (own account) before tucking into a dinner of delicious local fare.

Accommodation:
Makalali Lodge or similar – dinner, bed and breakfast including two game viewing activities

An early start sees you catching the bushveld as it comes alive while on a guided open vehicle game drive. many people don’t know this, but many of the iconic African predators are essentially nocturnal, their most exciting habits emerging when the sun makes its way towards the horizon. This is a chance to see the returning of these predators and prey returning to their resting spots, and is often when they are at their most active after a night of hunting.

Enjoy coffee and rusks in the bush before breakfast back at the lodge.

After breakfast head to one of Mpumalanga’s most magnificent attractions, the Blyde River Canyon, on the Panorama Route. The Blyde River Canyon may be one of the largest green canyons in the world with its lush subtropical vegetation. The Panorama Route offers memorable views and unusual natural phenomenons, like The Three Rondawels, God’s Window and Bourke’s Luck Potholes. Lunch (own account) will be enjoyed along this scenic route.

After an early breakfast leave the beautiful town of Hazyview onto Mpumalanga’s and South Africa’s main attraction, the Kruger National Park. This is the most talked about part of the Explorer tour by far!

The Kruger National Park forms part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park. This park links the Kruger with Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe, and with the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique and is 20 000 square kilometres in size, the size of some European countries!

When many people think of South Africa and indeed Africa in general, their image is of a deep orange sunset over the African savannah. This is your chance to see this iconic backdrop first hand.

A closed vehicle game drive will give you the opportunity to take in the park’s vastness and seek out the “Big Five” and other endangered and indigenous animals and plants. Amongst the park’s diverse offerings are: 147 mammals, 507 birds, 114 reptiles and 1,982 plants species with several historical and ancient archaeological sites.

Lunch (own account) en route to the Kingdom of Swaziland. Enter Swaziland at the Jeppes Reef border, arrive at your hotel later the afternoon and enjoy dinner at the hotel.

Accommodation:
Royal Swazi Spa or similar – dinner, bed and breakfast including one game activity

Please note:
When entering the Kingdom of Swaziland, please ensure that you are in possession of a valid passport, and for nationals of certain countries, multi-entry visa entry and conditions will apply.

After an early breakfast we travel to St Lucia via the Kingdom of Swaziland. (Visa own account).

Swaziland, one of only two kingdoms in Southern Africa, is also the smallest country in Africa. It’s a proud kingdom, full of traditional pastimes and lasting culture. Enjoy lunch en route (own account).

Exit Swaziland at the Lavumisa Border post and enter the sub-tropical Elephant Coast, the Zulu Kingdom of KwaZulu-Natal. An area naturally gifted with towering mountains, the blissfully warm Indian Ocean, lush tropical vegetation and a myriad of different animal species.

In the late afternoon you will arrive at your hotel. You will have an opportunity to freshen up before relaxing with pre-dinner drinks and dinner (both for own account) at the restaurant. Optional night game activity available (own account).

Accommodation:
Forest Lodge or similar – bed and breakfast including one game activity

Refreshed and ready to go, discover South Africa’s first World Heritage Site, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, South Africa’s third largest protected area.

This area was home to the Tsonga people and their fishing culture for 1000 years before being claimed by the British in 1822 and becoming a reserve in 1895. Before breakfast, embark on an open safari vehicle, where you will be guided on a game drive through iSimangaliso (which means ‘miracle and wonder’).

The park is the biggest estuarine system in Africa and home to the biggest hippo and crocodile populations in the country. In 2013 after 44 years, lions were successfully re-introduced to create an even more exciting natural environment to see. Observe Hippopotamus, Crocodiles, and an abundance of birds on an eco-friendly boat cruise on the Estuary.

Enjoy a revitalising lunch (own account) while taking pleasure in the lovely lake views before departing for the city of Durban for late afternoon. Dinner (own account)

This morning enjoy a breakfast at your beach front hotel followed by a morning to relax and catch your breath. Take a walk along the promenade or perhaps catch a ride on one of the colourful Zulu rickshaws to the beach front market (own account).

You will be collected from your hotel for your transfer to King Shaka International Airport for your flight to Port Elizabeth. (Flight not included).
In Port Elizabeth you will be collected from Port Elizabeth International Airport and transferred to your hotel. Enjoy dinner (own account) at your hotel or restaurant of your choice.

This morning you will be collected from your hotel by our tourist guide and head south towards Knysna via Storm’s River and the beautiful Tsitsikamma Forest. Our first stop brings us to Storms River. Take in the dramatic views on the suspension bridge of the Storms River mouth where you can view the river meeting the Indian Ocean.

Enjoy lunch (own account) in the Tsitsikamma Forest area. A short journey further south brings us to the small beautiful town of Knysna. We arrive and check in before embarking on a sunset Knysna Oyster Cruise (weather permitting). This is an informative and interactive cruise that introduces you and your taste buds to the wild Knysna oyster while enjoying a drink in the natural surrounding beauty.

After breakfast we make our way to Plettenberg Bay. From Lookout Beach you will be taken on an Ocean Safari (weather permitting), dedicated to observation and conservation and allows for extensive and memorable whale, dolphin and seal watching. You can’t appreciate how fast or playful these creatures are until you experience it for yourself.

Following our marine excursion, enjoy a relaxing lunch (own account). In the afternoon we take a guided tour of the Qolweni Township, school and crèche. Guests are welcome to donate pencils, books and other stationary.

Take the scenic drive back to your Knysna hotel and enjoy some time at leisure. In the early evening we make our way to the Knysna Waterfront for a leisurely dinner (own account) at one of the many restaurants on offer.

The tour departs for Oudtshoorn, in the Klein Karoo, via Wilderness and the Outeniqua Pass.

The first scenic stop is in Wilderness. Guests enjoy the photo opportunities and sweeping views from this Magical part of the Garden Route, before continuing on to Oudtshoorn via the Outeniqua Pass.

Enjoy lunch (own account) on an ostrich farm in the Cango Valley, on the outskirts of Oudtshoorn, before taking an informative tour of the farm. Guests are exposed to the mechanics of the feather industry and learning the history of how this area played a key role in the Cape’s early economy.

Guests spend the rest of the afternoon at leisure. A traditional dinner is served at the lodge.

The tour departs for Cape Town, via the Cango Caves, on the iconic Route 62.

After breakfast, guests enjoy an olive farm tour. A tasting, paired with Protea Rose or juice, is offered in the orchard. The tour continues on to the Cango Caves. This 20 million-year-old cave system, an international treasure located in the foothills of the Swartberg Mountains, is 4 kilometers in length and includes an extensive system of tunnels and chambers.

Enjoy a traditional Wine tasting (own account) and the sweeping views of the Tradouw Valley. Lunch is enjoyed en-route (own account). This leg of the tour ends, late afternoon, at a Cape Town hotel. Guests enjoy dinner at the hotel or a city restaurant (own account).

The last stop of the Explorer, Cape Town offers a World Heritage Site Table Mountain, inviting night life, extensive shopping venues as well as art and cultural events.

After breakfast, join a guided full day Cape Point tour which incorporates the Cape Point and a chance to get up close with the African Penguins at Boulders Beach (own account). Lunch (own account) will be had en route.

Freshen up before dinning out in one of the many restaurants in the city (own account and arrangements).

What Clients’ Say

We really appreciate our clients feedback on their African Blue experience as we are constantly striving to improve our service levels and selection of tour and safari experiences.

“Our recent tour of South Africa was a superb combination of wildlife, scenery and culture. We found the 13 day South African Explorer itinerary on the African Blue website and booked everything by email through David Smith and Julia. Our two guides were knowledgeable, helpful and great company. During the first week, Gerard took us from Johannesburg to Durban, encompassing several game parks and the spectacular Panorama Route. After flying from Durban to Port Elizabeth, Stefan took us from there to Cape Town along the magnificent Garden Route. We were incredibly lucky to have some amazing wildlife encounters as well as being struck by the beauty and grandeur of the South African landscape. We would have loved more time in every location, but wouldn’t have cut out a thing. The accommodation on this tour was quite varied but all wonderful. Food everywhere was great and very affordable, as were the excellent local wines. We found South African tourism to be well-developed and sophisticated and everyone in the industry cheerful and helpful. We enjoyed meeting David in Cape Town and chatting about our experiences. We would recommend this trip to anyone wanting to see the best of South Africa in 2 weeks. It definitely leaves you wanting to see more!”

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IMPORTANT NOTICE!

Unabridged Birth Certificate – applies to ALL children under 18 years of age.
Effective 1 June 2015, South African Authorities require that all children, under the age of 18, travelling to / from South Africa, be in possession of their original unabridged birth certificate reflecting both parents full names and surname. Children travelling with only one parent or other person or where one parent or both parents are deceased, must be in possession of an affidavit from the remaining parent/s or guardian, permitting the child to travel or copy of the deceased person’s death certificate when applicable.
Please view our blog post for updated information.

Where does this tour start and end?
This tour starts in Johannesburg and ends in Cape Town.

What are the departure/end dates of this package?
This tour departs on Sunday and ends on Fridays.

Are meals included?
12 breakfasts, 4 dinners are included.

Are entrances and activities included?
Blyde River Canyon; Bourke’s Luck Potholes; God’s Window, Conservation Fee into Kruger National Park and Private Game Reserves; Conservation fee for Garden Route National Park (Storms River); Cango Caves and Ostrich Farm are all included.

Is this a private or scheduled package?
Scheduled. This tour requires a minimum of 2 people and allows a maximum of 26.

What kind of transport do you use?
Depending on how many people you’re travelling with a luxury sedan, minivan or coach.

Do I have a choice of accommodation?
Unfortunately not, as this is a scheduled tour.

What type of accommodation do I stay in?
3 to 4 star hotels and private game lodges.

Do I require anti-malaria medication?
In general, Kruger National Park and surrounding areas are low risk malaria areas. However, our rainy months from December to March bring a higher risk. Therefore, we recommend discussing preventative medication with your medical practitioner or travel clinic.

How much cash do I require for daily expenses?
We recommend that you bring around R500 per person per day for some extra meals and souvenirs.

What kind of clothing do I need to bring?
During winter (May – August), make sure you bring a jacket, gloves and a cap for early morning game drives, as it can get VERY cold. Always bring some light clothes as well, as it can get quite hot when the sun shines, even during winter. Please read our blog post below to learn what exactly to bring on a safari.

Do I need to bring my own toiletries?
Shampoos, soaps, towels and hair dryers are provided in the hotel/guest house.

In what languages is this tour available?
English and German, except on day 1, which is English only. Other languages available on request and when booking a private tour.

Are children allowed on this tour?
Only one child permitted per two adults. Should your child be under 7 years old, please request a private tour quote..

How much luggage am I allowed to bring?
One medium sized suitcase and one shoulder bag.

Are there any visa requirements?
It is up to you to make sure you’ve got the right visas if necessary. Please make sure you’ve got a multiple entry visa for South Africa as we’re travelling through Swaziland.